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Echoes of Despair
Echoes of Despair is a Fangan Ronpa fic. Basically: you take 16 OCs, lock them up somewhere, and have them kill each other. Fun, right? "Is this what despair is?" "It appears so." "I can't believe someone actually died..." "It's like you said. This is despair." The Blurb When Sora Saito was accepted into Hope’s Peak Academy, she was convinced that all her dreams had come true. As the Super High-School Level Web Designer, she thought this was her chance to truly make her mark on the world. But things quickly take a turn for the worse, when Sora and her new classmates end up held captive by a monochrome bear. Who will kill, who will be killed, and who will make it out alive? Prologue: Let Despair Find You Sora Saito stood in front of Hope’s Peak Academy. Her heart pounded with glee, as she stared up at the building. It was the best school in Japan, and she had actually been chosen. Ever since she was a young child, she had had a passion for art. When she got older, Sora had turned her attentions towards the internet, and was now known for being the Super High-School Level Web Designer. Hope’s Peak became interested in her, and just last month, an acceptance letter had come in the mail. Truthfully, Sora was a bit apprehensive. She didn’t know what Hope’s Peak would be like at all. She knew that anyone who graduated from the school could get a high experience job easily, but she also knew that it would be very difficult to keep her grades up. While she excelled in web design, Sora was not the best in school. “I can do this!” Sora said, “Hope’s Peak chose me for a reason.” Satisfied, Sora pushed through the gates, and walked up the path to the front doors. Just before she stepped inside, she paused. Come on, Sora. You’re strong, you can take on the world! That was her last thought before she blacked out. ~ “... up… Wake up…” Sora’s eyes flickered open, and she moaned. Her body felt all stiff, as if she’d been asleep for a long time. “W-Where am I?” She muttered, clutching her head. She looked up, and saw two people standing over her. One was a girl, with short brown hair, and dark brown eyes. The other was a tall boy, who had sandy brown hair. Both of them looked familiar to Sora, but she had no idea who either of them were. The girl smiled, "Thank goodness. We were worried that you weren't going to wake up." The boy turned around, and said, "Hey, she's up!" Sora frowned, "What's going on? What is this place?" The girl shrugged, "None of us have any idea. The last thing we remember, is setting foot in Hope's Peak before passing out." Sora said, "That's strange... I wonder what's going on here." The girl replied, "No clue. Ah, I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Rin Maki, and I'm the Super High-School Level Pianist." Sora grinned, "Oh, that's why I recognize you!" She had spent the last month before arriving at the school on the Hope's Peak forums, learning about as many of her new classmates as she could. Rin Maki had taken the musical world by a storm, composing her own piano pieces at the age of six. She had mastered more songs than any other person in Japanese history, and was critically acclaimed. Sora said, "I'm Sora Saito, Super High-School Level Web Designer." Rin said, "I've seen your picture in the news. You're pretty big in the virtual world. I think my agent might have commissioned you to fix up my official website." Sora shrugged, "I've been working for so long, I can't honestly remember." Rin turned to the boy, who had started staring out into space, "Hey, idiot!" She said. The boy looked over, "Huh?" "Earth to Katsuro!" Rin said, "Introduce yourself to Sora!" "Ah, shit. Katsuro Ueno." Katsuro said, "I'm the Super High-School Level Cameraman." The forums hadn't offered up much information on Katsuro. All Sora really knew, was that he had been filming movies and public performances for several years. Rin said, "That's better, dumbass." "Whatever, loser." Katsuro replied. "Uh," Sora asked, "Do you two know each other?" Rin said, "We went to middle school together. He's one of my best friends." Sora nodded, "Ah, that makes sense." She took a moment to glance around the room, and Sora looked at her new classmates. She wondered what she was doing here, and why all these people were with her. Suddenly, a boy in dress pants called out, "Hey, I found a letter!" Sora's eyes lit up, and she ran over to where the boy was standing. Everyone else had the same idea, and Sora found herself wedged between Rin and a short girl wearing a scarf. The boy in dress pants opened the letter, and read it aloud, "Hello students of Hope's Peak Academy's 76th class! You're probably all wondering what is going on here. I know that this must be a little confusing for you, but everything's under control. The school is currently undergoing some renovations, and we realize that we cannot have students in the school during this time. "As such, we have arranged a stay for you all, at a nearby Mountainside Hiking Lodge. All your bags have been delivered to your respective cabins, and you will have every accommodation you could ever ask for. "A few faculty members will be arriving here shortly, to keep an eye on you. While we do trust you, regulations state that you must have at least one member of the administration with you during your stay. "Sincerely, Hope's Peak Academy Headmaster, Jin Kirigiri." Huh, a school trip? Well, that’s not so bad. A few of the other kids seemed to be making the same assertions as she did, and Sora relaxed. People began to spread out, and Sora turned back to Rin. Rin said, “Well, we’ve still got time before the faculty people arrive. You should go introduce yourself to everyone, since you’ve been passed out for ages.” Sora nodded, “Yeah, I should. D’you know how many other people there are?” Rin thought for a moment, then said, “Counting you, me, and Katsuro, I believe sixteen people are here.” “That’s a bit small.” Sora remarked. Rin shrugged, “Hope’s Peak is exclusive. So small class sizes are pretty common. Anyway, do you want me to come with you? I’ve already met everyone, but it might be nice to see them again.” Sora said, “What about Katsuro? I figured you’d wanna hang around with him.” Rin snorted, “Are you kidding? He’s already gone off to goggle at the rest of the guys. I don’t have anything else to do anyways.” Sora said, “Well, if you really want, you can-” She was cut off by Katsuro yelling out, “Hey, Rin! Come check this out!” Rin scowled, “Coming!” She turned back to Sora, “Or not, I guess. I’ll catch up with you later, then. Bye!” She ran off, and Sora smiled at her for a second. Then, she turned to look around the room she was in. The room itself was rather large, and had a high ceiling. However, besides some armchairs, and a couple tables, the room was mostly empty. Everyone but Katsuro and Rin had already left, and Sora set her sights on the door. She found herself in what was most likely the lobby. There was a large wooden desk at the back of the room, but nobody was behind it. Sora looked around, and noticed a student sitting all by himself on one of the ottomans. He had spiky red hair, and was wearing a tight black jacket. Sora approached him slowly, in case he was easily startled. When she got close, she cleared her throat, and he looked up, “Oh, hi there.” He said gently. Sora smiled, “Hi! It’s nice to meet you. I’m Sora Saito.” He grinned, “Ah, I’ve heard of you! Kenji Himura, also known as the Super High-School Level Debater.” Kenji Himura didn’t get a lot of press until a couple of years ago, when he became the champion of his middle school’s debate club. According to the forums, Kenji’s claim to fame was that he could start a debate with anyone, about anything. Sora had gotten a bit curious, and watched a few of his debate videos. Needless to say, she was impressed. “So, Sora. What’s your stance on pineapple?” Kenji asked. Sora blinked, “Pineapple? I mean… it’s alright. I like pears better.” Kenji nodded, “Alright, cool. You like pineapple, I don’t. You know why?” “Uh-” “You can’t bite into it. It’s got all those nasty spikes, and a really hard skin. Plus you can’t even pick it up without getting stabbed.” Sora picked up on his cue, and responded, “But breaking into a pineapple is easy. And they’re very sweet.” Kenji replied, “That’s another thing, the taste. Yeah it’s sweet, but it’s got such a strange tang, and you get a bitter aftertaste.” “The juice is delicious. Even if you don’t like the fruit, the juice itself is fantastic.” Sora countered. Kenji smirked, “Eating the fruit means you get the juice all over your fingers, and it’s so sticky.” Sora sighed, and threw up her hands, “Argh, you win.” “Well, they don’t call me the Super High-School Level Debater for nothing.” Kenji replied, “Good job, though.” Sora smiled, “I bet if this was a debate on web design, I could kick your ass.” “Try me sometime.” Kenji offered, “I’m always down for a good debate.” Sora said, “I will. Any advice on where I should go from here?” Kenji shrugged, “I haven’t gone anywhere in particular, but I saw a few of the students heading upstairs. Apparently the elevator doesn’t work, so you’ve got to climb.” He jerked his thumb towards the nearby staircase. Sora nodded, “Alright, I’m heading there. See you around!” With that, she headed towards the stairs, and found herself running up them. She was excited to see where she would be staying for the duration of the trip. However, when she got to the second floor, there weren’t any rooms. Instead, Sora found two of the girls chatting together. The first girl was tall, and had long, dark hair. In contrast, the other girl was incredibly short, with hair to match. She also wore a red scarf around her neck. Both turned when they saw Sora standing on the edge of the staircase. The taller girl smiled. “Hello there! You looking for something?” Sora shrugged, “I figured our rooms would be up here, but I was wrong.” The short girl said, “Nah. All that’s up here is this locked room. According to one of the guys, we’ve all got cabins outside the lodge building.” “Ah.” Sora said, trying to mentally map the area. The short girl said, “By the way, I’m Aya Sato. Super High-School Level Sketch Artist.” There hadn’t been any pictures of Aya on the forums, or anywhere that Sora had searched. She’d pictured someone tall, and someone more confident looking. Aya looked like she couldn’t even kill a bug without crying. Still, she had amazing visualization skills, and had aided in the capture of many criminals since she began working with the police force. Aya grinned, “I know, I don’t really look the part. I’m just naturally short. I’m the same age as the rest of you.” Sora nodded, “Well, I’m Sora Saito.” The taller girl laughed, “Well, no need to ask what your talent is then.” “Huh?” Sora asked. The tall girl pointed to Aya, “She actually was just talking about you. Apparently she envies your design skills.” Aya flushed, “It’s not bad! I just wish I had more computer skills, so I could work online as well. I still use a sketchbook, and everyone else is on the net.” Sora chuckled, and looked at the taller girl, “Who are you?” She laughed, “I guess I’m not as famous as I used to be. The name’s Airi Ito. You might know me as the Super High-School Level Stage Actress.” Airi had covered a good section of the forums, but she looked different in every photo that Sora had seen. It was possibly because she was an actor, and was constantly in plays. Airi had never done any film work, but she was in multiple theatre productions every year. Sora said, “Ah, I remember now. Sorry, you look different in person.” “I get that a lot.” Airi said, “They only take promotional pictures of me, so I’m never seen out of costume.” Sora glanced around the hall. Her eyes fell upon the door again, and said, “Is it locked, or just stuck?” Aya shrugged, “We tugged on it together for a while, but it still won’t open. Maybe the faculty people can help us, when they get here.” Sora nodded, “Yeah, makes sense. I’m going to find those cabins, so I’ll see you guys later!” She turned back around, and ran down the stairs. When she got to the lobby, Kenji was gone. Sora took a moment to look around again. There was a set of double doors, which she assumed lead to the outside. Besides that, there was nothing else she deemed noteworthy. Still nobody at the front desk. Sora crossed the lobby, and opened the doors. Outside, there was a long path, that split in two different directions. She followed the path, and looked both ways. Towards the left, the path became more ragged, and rocky. It looked like a hiking trail, but Sora was unsure. To the right, were several log cabins. The only thing in front of her were what looked like several hundred trees. Sora followed the path to the right, up until she got to the cabins. She counted them quickly, and there were indeed sixteen, eight on each side of the path. Most of the doors were closed, with bags and suitcases sitting outside them. However, a few here and there were open, and there were voices coming from the insides. Sora walked by the cabins, looking for her own. There were no names on the doors, just pixelated pictures of everyone. She found her own cabin at the very end of the path, and climbed up the stairs. Her suitcase and backpack were on the top step, and there was a metal key on top of her luggage. Just as Sora reached for it, she heard the sound of something falling. “Ow…” “Shit, are you okay?” Sora turned around, to see one guy on the ground, and another standing over him. She jumped down to the ground, and ran over, "Is everything alright?" The boy on the ground chuckled, "If I'm supposed to bleed, then yes." The other boy helped him to his feet, "It's just a bruise. You'll be fine." "Alas, everything is going dark..." Now that they were standing together, Sora could get a better look at them. They were about the same height, and both had dark hair. The only difference was that one had dark eyes to match, and the other had pale blue ones. The blue eyed boy said, "I'm Hayato Kagome, the Super High-School Level Secretary. This klutz here is Minato Mori." Minato rubbed his bruise, and said, "I'm the Super High-School Level Food Stylist." Hayato had stuck out to Sora, due to his unusual talent. She had expected the Super High-School Level Secretary to be a woman. But Hayato had interested her, and she’d researched him a little more than some of the other students. Still, as interesting as he was, Sora figured that being a Super High-School Level Secretary would get boring very fast. On the other hand, Sora had hardly remembered Minato. Most of the forums didn't talk about him, and the ones that did would only mention him. From what Sora could remember, he worked in the photography industry, and was the best at arranging food for the cameras. Minato said, "Ah, and who might this fair lady be?" Hayato elbowed him, "Don't be a prick, dude." Sora replied, "I'm the Super High-School Level Web Designer, Sora Saito." Minato paled, "The Sora Saito?" "You've heard of me?" Sora said in surprise. She hadn’t expected anyone to have really heard of her, and yet she’d had multiple people recognize her already. Minato nodded, “The magazine I was arranging food for was going broke, and if it hadn’t been for your genius web page you made, we would have gone out of business.” His eyes sparkled, “Dear lady, you have saved us all.” Sora shot a glance at Hayato, who shrugged. Sora said, “Well, thanks for introducing yourselves. I’m going to check out my cabin, and then take another look around.” Hayato nodded, and Minato grinned. Sora turned around, and made her way back to her cabin. She picked the key up off her bag, and unlocked the door. The cabin itself was western style, from the bedroom to the bathroom. Sora didn’t really mind, it would just be a part of the adventure. She placed her things on her bed, and then left her cabin, wanting to explore the rest of the lodge. She waved to Hayato and Minato as she ran back down the trail, towards the main building. Kenji wasn’t back in the lobby, and the front desk was still abandoned. Sora sighed, and glanced around the empty lobby. She noticed a small door near the room that she had woken up in. She walked towards it, and pushed open the door. Inside was what looked like a restaurant. A muscular girl was tugging on one of the doors, while a blonde girl stood off to the side, laughing at her. As Sora approached, the muscular girl sighed, and let go of the door, “No use. I guess it’s locked.” “No shit, you dumbass.” Replied the blonde. Suddenly, she looked over at Sora, and smiled, “Oh!” The muscular girl turned, “Oh, you’re the one that was passed out forever.” Sora blushed, “Uh, yeah. I’m Sora Saito.” “Ah.” Said the blonde, “I remember reading about you on the forums.” The muscular girl said, “Well, I didn’t.” “That’s because you don’t read.” The muscular girl ignored the blonde, and said, “Well, I’m Kaori Kimura, the tennis player.” Sora hadn’t read much on Kaori, but she matched what Sora had imagined. Athletic shorts and shoes, and a casual t-shirt made Kaori look just like a tennis player. She’d been in several international competitions, and last year, she came in first place in one of the European competitions. Kaori said, “Oh, and this little shit is Yuki Yoshida. We go way back.” She finished with a grin. Yuki smiled, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sora Saito. You may have heard of me, but I am the Super High-School Level Mind Reader.” While most of the talents that Sora had seen on the forums were realistic, Yuki’s was flat-out ridiculous. Sora didn’t believe in the supernatural, and she figured that Yuki’s supposed talent was nothing more than a sham to pull in customers. While she was supposedly big in the occult world, none of that interested Sora in the slightest. Yuki said, “I’m not a fraud, Ms. Saito.” “W-What?” Sora replied. Yuki smiled, “I get that a lot.” Kaori said, “I dunno how the fuck she does it, but Yuki’s legit.” “Right.” Sora said, “That’s fantastic.” How the hell am I going to think in peace if she can get into my head? Yuki said, "If it makes you feel any better, I do my best to let you keep your privacy. It would be rather rude if I barged in on every thought you had." That's hardly comforting. Kaori said, "Does anyone know what's up with this damn door? It won't open, and it's pissing me off." Sora said, "Maybe only staff can get in?" "Have you even seen staff since we arrived?" Kaori replied, "It's like a fucking ghost town here." Yuki said, "How strange. Perhaps the Hope's Peak faculty people will explain this." "They fucking better." Kaori mumbled. Yuki glanced over at Sora, "Have you met everyone yet, Ms. Saito? Sora thought for a moment, "I don't think so. There's sixteen of us, right?" Kaori shrugged, "Something like that. Oh, and word of advice, approach that one carefully." She pointed across the restaurant, at someone leaning against the wall. They wore only dark clothing, and had a hood pulled over their head. “Who’s that?” Sora asked. “Couldn’t get an answer.” Kaori said, “She seems really fucking pissed at everything, though.” Yikes. Yuki said, “Shut up, Kaori. You’re probably the one who pissed her off.” “Shut up.” Yuki glanced over at Sora, and added, “I would suggest talking to her.” Sora nodded, and waved to Kaori and Yuki. She made her way across the restaurant, and approached the mysterious girl in the corner. “Um, hi.” The girl looked up, and her eyes flashed, “You know, I do have ears. I could hear all three of you.” “S-Sorry!” Sora said, “I didn’t mean to be rude or-” “You weren’t being rude.” She replied, “The tennis girl was. Now, what do you want?” Sora said, “I wanted to introduce myself. And maybe get your name?” The mysterious girl huffed, “I already know who you are. I could hear you from all the way over here. Did you know that you’re incredibly loud?” Sora winced. “But I’ll be kind enough to tell you that I’m Cho Fujimoto.” Who? The name Cho Fujimoto had not shown up anywhere on any of the forums that Sora had relentlessly combed. This girl was getting stranger by the minute. Tentatively, Sora asked, “And what’s your talent?” Cho scowled, “Super High-School Level Good Luck. Don’t ask.” That rang a bell with Sora. A couple people had mentioned that every year, Hope’s Peak Academy held a randomized raffle with the name of every student in Japan. If you were chosen, then you clearly had a lot of good luck. To Sora’s knowledge, it was the only way that an average student would be able to enter Hope’s Peak. “Are we done?” Cho asked, “Because I’m done with introductions.” “S-Sorry.” I guess she’s really bitter over the whole situation. Sora stepped away from Cho, making a mental note to avoid her from now on. She left the restaurant, wondering if there was anywhere else she could go. A small wooden door near the stairs caught her eyes, and Sora wandered towards it. She opened it with ease, and found a gorgeous indoor garden. Flowers, and bushes caught her eye, but the giant tree in the centre was breathtaking. “Wow…” Sora whispered in awe. “Excuse me.” Said a nearby voice, “What are you doing?” Sora turned around, and made eye-contact with a dark haired boy in all black. He wouldn’t have looked out of place in a dingy, dark city, but among all the flora here, he stood out. Sora blinked, “Admiring the flowers?” He scowled, “Then do it somewhere else.” Wow, all these people are so nice! Sora tried to smile, “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Sora Saito, the-” “Did you not hear me?” Said the boy, “I don’t want to talk to you.” Sora took a step backwards, “I just wanted to introduce-” The boy glared at her, “You have ears, blondie. Fuck. Off.” Sora turned quickly, and crossed to the other side of the garden. “He’s a real ray of sunshine.” Sora muttered to herself. “Eeep!” Sora tensed, looking for the person who had screamed. She found a short boy kneeling on the ground, looking somewhat scared. “Sorry, did I startle you?” Sora said. The boy swallowed, “J-Just a little. I’m okay, r-really.” Sora bit her lip, “Are you sure?” He blinked, “A-Are you talking to me?” Sora blinked, “No I’m talking to the-” She broke off, “Is that a venus fly-trap?” Sure enough, the carnivorous plant was in the garden, among the other beautiful flowers. The boy nodded, “It’s strange to think that such a dangerous plant is mixed in with all this.” Sora said, “Can I take a wild guess and say that your talent has something to do with plants?” “Actually, it doesn’t.” Said the boy, “My name is Juro Kobayashi, and I’m the Super High-School Level Inventor.” Sora wanted to kick herself. There had been so mention of any Super High-School Level Botanist, or anything like that on the forums. There had, however, been a plethora of information of Juro Kobayashi. He’d invented a new kind of water filtration system, among several other notable things. Sora was a little bit jealous of his talent for creating new things. In truth, she used the same successful formats when she designed web pages. “...But I am working on a new fertilizer, if that counts.” Juro said, “S-Sorry, I know you didn’t ask.” Sora said, “That’s really interesting! Does it like, increase plant growth?” Juro nodded, “It’s supposed to. It’s in testing at the moment.” Sora said, “Wow, that’s impressive.” “Y-You really think so?” Juro asked. Sora nodded. Juro smiled, “T-Thank you! My peers don’t usually praise my inventions.” He pointed over at the boy on the other side of the garden, “He told me that everything I ever invented is worthless.” “What an asshole.” Sora muttered, “He told me to fuck off when I just tried to introduce myself.” Juro frowned, “I don’t understand why Daisuke’s so mean.” Sora blinked, “Daisuke? That’s his name?” Juro nodded, “Daisuke Hisakawa. I don’t think he said his talent.” “...Super High-School Level Pilot.” Sora said quietly. Daisuke Hisakawa was in more news than almost anyone else, which surprised Sora. Apparently being in high-school, and being able to fly a plane was considered an incredible feat. She didn’t see what was so spectacular about it. There had been no personal interviews with him, and no photos, so Sora hadn’t recognized his face. But the name Daisuke Hisakawa was everywhere. “That’d explain it.” Juro muttered to himself It was at that moment that something struck Sora, “Oh shit! I didn’t even introduce myself to you.” Juro shrugged, “O-Oh yeah. You didn’t.” “Well, I’m Sora Saito, and I’m the Super High-School Level Web Designer.” She said. Juro’s eyes lit up, “I’ve heard of you. Your work is truly inspiring.” Sora smiled, then said, “Thank you so much. That means a lot. I still have people to meet, but it was nice to meet you!” Juro said, “S-Same here. See you around, Sora.” Sora waved goodbye to Juro, and then glanced around the garden again. There were several other doors spread around the rounded room, and Sora wondered how big this lodge was. She walked up to the closest door, and tugged on it. It didn’t move and she frowned. She wandered to the next door, and tugged on it. It stayed shut. Huh. I wonder if it’s restricted to the staff. Y’know, the staff that I’ve never seen. Sora turned around, preparing to leave the garden. She stepped back out into the lobby, looking around for another place she could go. She’d met twelve of the fifteen other people that were in the lodge with her. As Sora glanced around the lobby, she heard the doors open, and looked over in interest. A brown-haired girl with her hair tied up entered, a thick white scarf wrapped around her neck. When she saw Sora, she clasped her hands in delight before rushing over. “There…” She panted, “You are.” Sora blinked, “Were you looking for me?” The girl nodded, “Well, you’re Sora Saito, right? You were passed out the last time I saw you. Minato told me that I could find you inside, so I figured I should introduce myself.” Sora blinked. The girl had just spoken so fast, that she’d hardly heard a thing. “My name is Hina Tsukuda!” She chirped, “I’m the Super High-School Level Optimist!” The… What? Sora blanked. The name Hina Tsukuda was completely foreign to her, along with her talent. Sora wondered if she was also chosen by a random lottery, or if the school had scouted her personally. Either way, she’d never heard Hina’s name before now. Sora asked, “Uh, not to be rude, but how does one get the talent of Super High-School Level Optimist?” Hina smiled, “Oh you’re not rude, don’t worry. I actually get that from a lot of people.” It is kind of a strange talent. Hina said, “I’ve always been good at looking on the bright side of things, no matter what happens. Apparently I’ve inspired people too. I dunno why Hope’s Peak chose me, but I’m going to take it as a good thing!” ...At least she’s chipper. “Say, if you’re looking for people to talk to, I know I saw Riku and Haruto outside a couple minutes ago. There’s a mountain trail outside that we could all hike!” Sora said, “Thanks, I don’t think I’ve met them yet.” But hiking a mountain trail does not sound appealing in the slightest. “Seeya!” Hina said, before skipping off. Sora shrugged, and crossed the lobby, stepping outside again. Hina had been true to her word. There were two people conversing outside the lodge, one tall, and one short. They must be Riku and Haruto. Sora approached them with a smile. She hoped that these two would be friendly, considering her recent clashes with Cho and Daisuke. The shorter boy smiled at her, "Ah, is this the elusive Sora Saito?" "Am I that famous?" Sora joked. The tall boy said, "Well, you were passed out longer than any of us..." Sora said, "Well, at least I don't need an introduction then." The shorter boy said, "Ah right. My name is Haruto Fukui. I am the Super High-School Level Toymaker." Sora knew Haruto's name well. His toys were world famous, and incredibly good quality. She'd bought her little brother one of his acclaimed stuffed animals, and it still looked like new to this day. Haruto pulled out a tiny train from his pocket, and showed it to Sora, "This is a prototype of my latest toy. It's supposed to be battery powered, and drive across all terrain." An all terrain... toy train? Haruto sighed, "But it's just a prototype. I have trouble getting it to work." "It seems like an interesting idea." Sora said. She turned to the taller boy, who was avoiding eye contact with her, "What about you?" He looked a little startled, "S-Sorry. I'm Riku Minami, the Super High-School Level... Baker." Sora's eyes lit up. She'd been to Riku's bakery before, and he was all the rage on the forums. His baking was so good, people said it was good enough to die for. "Nice!" Sora said, "I've been to your bakery before. Your cream puffs were incredible. Riku blinked, "Really? You don't think that my talent should be more manly?" Sora said, "Why would I think that?" "My... My parents..." He trailed off miserably. Haruto said, "Hey, I'm a Toymaker of all things. Besides, if you're passionate about when you do, then you should do it!" Riku perked up, "T-Thanks." Wow. Maybe Haruto could have ended up as the Super High-School Level Motivational Speaker. Before Sora could say anything else, a speaker crackled over her head. She looked up, and saw a small screen next to a tiny, but still noticeable security camera. "Attention all students! Since you’ve finished with your introductions, gather in the lobby as soon as possible! Upupupu!" Sora frowned, "Do you think that was the faculty?" Haruto said, "But nobody's gone through that door since you came out." "Maybe there's a back door?" Sora mused. Riku whispered, "This can't be good…" That voice was so childish too. I wonder… Haruto said, "Well, we better go inside. Come on." Sora and Riku nodded, following Haruto inside. Most of the other students had already made their way to the lobby. Rin waved to Sora, and she ran over, "What do you think's going on?" Sora asked. Rin shrugged, "It might be the faculty, but I honestly doubt it." Sora frowned, "I hope everything's okay." "Eh, I doubt that it's a big deal." Rin said, "We might be meeting the missing staff at this point." True. I haven't seen a single staff member this whole time. It's a bit unnerving. The lobby door slammed open, and Minato entered with Hayato. "Upupupu! That's everyone!" Ergh. That voice hurts my ears. Sora didn't think her day could get any weirder. After all, waking up in a mysterious place, and finding out you had a free vacation with fifteen strangers didn't happen every day. She was proved wrong when a stuffed bear leaped out from behind the front desk. "W-What the fuck?!" Kaori yelled. Airi frowned, "This is ridiculous." Daisuke sneered, "State your business, bear." The bear looked away, appearing almost hurt, "Oh Daisuke! You wound me so!" Kenji said, "Is this some kind of stupid joke?" Aya muttered, "This is way too weird." The bear turned back to the crowd, "Hello, bastards! I mean, kids. I’m your principal, Monokuma!” “...You’re a stuffed toy.” Haruto said, “Is this a challenge from another toy company?” Monokuma growled, “I’m not a stuffed toy! I’m Monokuma, and you are my students!” I thought the principal of Hope’s Peak Academy was Jin Kirigiri... Yuki said, “But the principal of Hope’s Peak Academy is Jin Kirigiri, am I correct?” Gah! How does she do that? Monokuma replied, “Nope! I am your principal now, so suck it up, bastards. I’ve gathered you here to explain the terms of your vacation.” “Terms?” Cho asked, “What ‘terms’?” “I’m so glad you asked!” Monokuma replied, “This vacation that you’re all getting is too simple. Too hopeful! Long story short, you’re all trapped at this lodge.” Silence fell over the group, before Hayato said, “Trapped? For how long?” Monokuma replied, “Forever!” F-Forever? Sora said, “That can’t be right. This is some kind of joke, right?” Monokuma said, “Nuh-uh! You’re all stuck at this lodge with no way out.” Juro whispered, “W-Why is this happening?” Minato said, “You can’t keep us here.” Monokuma replied, “Ah, but I can. Although if we’re to be honest, there is a way out…” “T-There is?” Riku cried. Monokuma said, “It’s what I like to call Graduation!” Graduation? Monokuma said, “There’s only one way to graduate… Get away with murder!” A collective, “WHAT?” came from all sixteen students. “M-M-Murder?” Hina quivered, “This… This is just some out of control prank. Very funny!” Her voice shook more with every word she said. Katsuro blinked, “I don’t believe a word of this.” Monokuma grinned, “Ah, the naivety of youth! If you want out of this lodge, you must kill one of very fellow classmates.” No way... “Stab, strangle, poison, shoot, curse… Whatever appeals to you!” Monokuma said gleefully, “Kill, kill, kill!” Rin pointed right at Monokuma, “No way! We’d never kill each other!” Monokuma said, “There’s always that one person. Don’t worry, you’ll be knee deep in bloodshed before long!” Haruto said, “Why would we kill each other? This place is extravagant. We have no need for mindless deaths.” Monokuma replied, “Do you really think so? One of you might already be plotting the demise of your fellow students!” Sora glanced around, her heartbeat going faster with every breath she took. Must we really kill each other to escape? “What about the police?” Airi asked, “I’m sure they’ll notice sooner or later that sixteen people have gone missing.” Monokuma grinned, “The police don’t care! They don’t give a crap about you bastards! Everyone went silent for several long moments. Monokuma said, “Ah, one last thing before we wrap this up. Please check your pockets now for your e-handbooks!” “My what?” Katsuro said. The bear grumbled, “You know, electronic handbook! Digital notebook! Whatever!” Katsuro said quietly, “Ah…” Sora reached into her pocket. She pulled out a small black device, that looked somewhat like her cellphone. She fumbled in her pocket again for her phone, but she couldn’t find it. Maybe I packed it with my luggage? Kaori yelled out, “Hey! Where the fuck is my phone?” Or maybe not. “Well, wouldn’t want you bad kiddies calling anyone!” Monokuma said, “Besides, there’s no service up here, so you couldn’t do much anyway.” Daisuke hissed, “So what’s with the fancy ass tablets?” Monokuma said, “Well, they contain all the information that you’ll need during your Lodge Life of Mutual Killing! You’ll especially want to read the rules. They’re particularly important.” Sora pressed a button on her e-handbook, and it turned on. She touched ‘Rules’ on the screen, and read them over. Rule 1: Leaving the lodge without graduation is prohibited. All students must remain at the lodge at all times. Rule 2: "Nighttime" is from 10 pm to 7 am. Some areas, including the restaurant, are off limits during this period. Rule 3: Sleeping anywhere other than the cottages is not allowed, and will be punished. Rule 4: You are free to explore the lodge at your discretion. Rule 5: Violence against headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited, and will be gravely punished. Rule 6: Destruction of any property, intentional or not, is prohibited. Rule 7: Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered. Rule 8: Additional regulations may be added if necessary. Aya said, “Wait, what’s this about being punished?” Monokuma grinned, “Well to put it bluntly… It’s execution.” “W-What?” Hayato asked. “Execution.” Monokuma replied, “So, don’t break any of my rules, you hear? Otherwise you might end up with spears all through your body! Upupupu, that was a fun one!” Spears? I… I don’t want to think about that. Daisuke cleared his throat, “I’m done with your shit, bear. Everyone, go back to your cabins, and get some sleep. We’ll meet in the restaurant in the morning, and figure out what the hell is going on.” Kaori scowled, “And who the fuck put you in charge?” “I am the Super High-School Level Pilot.” Daisuke replied coldly, “I will lead you, as I am the only one competent enough for this role.” Aya hissed under her breath, “I can think of literally five other people who could do better.” “Upupupu! This despair is wonderful!” Monokuma cried, “We’re only five minutes into this story, and it’s already spreading!” Minato said, “I think he’s right, everyone. We all need sleep at this point.” Katsuro said, “It’s a good point. I’m exhausted.” Monokuma said, “Speaking of sleeping…” Then he popped behind the front desk. Suddenly, a screen above the desk crackled, and Monokuma appeared on it. “A-hem! Hope’s Peak Lodge Faculty Committee has an announcement to make! It is now 10pm. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon, the restaurant will be locked, and entry at that point is prohibited. Please return to your cabins and rest. Let the sound of the wind wash away your worries…” Rin whispered to Sora, “Let’s go back to our cabins.” Sora nodded quietly. All the other students exchanged glances, and slowly, all of them left the lobby. Everyone stood apart from each other, hostile glances being flung every which way. There’s no way that anyone among us would consider murder. That’s just... At the end of the path, Sora turned to her cabin, and walked up the steps. Beside her, Rin climbed up the steps of her own. The girls stopped and locked eyes with one another for a moment, before Rin said, “Goodnight, Sora.” “G-Goodnight, Rin.” Sora stepped inside her cabin, and after a moment of hesitation, locked the door. “This is crazy.” Sora muttered, “It’s a crazy dream. I’m going to wake up, and I’ll be in my house again.” Clinging to this miniscule hope, Sora collapsed on her bed, and fell asleep. Category:Brighty's Stuff Category:Fanfictions Category:Worse Category:Non-Warriors Category:Non-Ace Attorney Category:Dangan Ronpa Category:Discontinued